Meal plan – savvy two for one cooking

I haven’t planned for seven meals in a long time. However checking some of the recipes I haven’t used in a while and having a very busy week ahead I’ve opted for the clever ‘Two for One’ recipes. This means I really only have to prepare the dinner 4 times this week, but we get to eat over the seven days. Serve most of the meals with my popular Dip In Dip out Salad and Spicy Potato Wedges or couscous. I like weeks like this!

This week’s family meal planner includes two for one roast chicken and chicken chow mein, spaghetti bolognese and lasagne, chickpea burgers and falafels and breaded fillet fish fingers with spicy potato wedges. The approximate cost is just £29.72 for a family of four for seven days! (price correct at time of publication – supermarket prices and offers may vary – exclusive of some store cupboard staples). Links in our recipes will show you where to get the best deal.

Two for one – Roast chicken and chicken chow mein with roast root vegetables: First up Sunday roast chicken. Serve with roast winter vegetables, roast potatoes and some green vegetables. The second meal is this wonderful Chicken Chow Mein. With the leftover roast chicken, you can put together this meal in a matter of minutes on Monday.Approx price: £11.25 or £1.40 per portion.

Two for one: Spaghetti bolognese and lasagne with dip in dip out salad: Both these recipes share a basic sauce made from tomatoes, meat and herbs. Half the sauce is made into the classic Spaghetti Bolognese (Meal 1) and the other half into a dish layered with lasagne sheets and tomato sauce (Meal 2) topped with a quick white sauce and grated cheese. Approx price: £6.77 or 84p per portion.

Two for one: Chickpea burger and falafels: Use store cupboard ingredients to make these very cheap but delicious meals. They also provide an excellent source of plant protein, antioxidants and fibre. Serve the Chickpea burger in warm pitta, tomato chutney and salads. The falafels are best served with natural yoghurt, salad and potato wedges. Approx price: £6.81 or 85p per portion.

Breaded fish fingers with spicy potato wedges:Homemade fish fingers are much better option as you can purchase good quality fresh fish, unlike the mixture of fish ends that are frozen together and then cut into fingers. Suitable for adults as well as children, although I usually don’t cut the fish into fingers when adults are dining alone. Approx price: £4.96 or £1.24 per portion.

Sian is a home economist with over 25 years’ experience as a secondary school teacher and now running her own private cookery school with a focus on meal planning. After years of seeing people struggling to provide healthy meals everyday for their families, she created her own meal planning system at Siansplan.com.

All the meals included in our weekly family meal planners are child friendly and provide nutrients from each of the food groups (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals).

Every week, Sian from Siansplan.com puts together five quick and easy recipes for our week’s family meal planner. You can choose to make them on whichever day of the week suits you best. She also puts together a shopping list that you can download for free and print out to take with you to the supermarket.

There is plenty of variety throughout the week, and each recipe is specially designed with a family and busy lifestyle in mind. None of the meals with take you long to prepare, and they will be ready for hungry tums to enjoy in no-time. Quite simply a yummy family meal planner that includes quick and easy recipes so you can plan ahead, use leftovers, get the nutrients you need and save money in the process.